Saddam Hussein caught

[Aeryanna]

The White house has officially confirmed that they have Saddam Hussein in custody.

http://newsbbc.co.uk/

Ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has been captured by US forces, says the US chief administrator in Iraq.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we got him," Paul Bremer said at a news conference in the capital, Baghdad, prompting loud cheers from Iraqis in the audience.

The former leader was found hiding in a cellar in a town about 30 kilometres south of his ancestral hometown Tikrit.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has welcomed the news, saying it "removes the shadow" hanging over Iraq.

Saddam Hussein is the most wanted man on the list issued by US authorities but has not been seen since Baghdad fell to US forces in April. Video footage apparently showing a dishevelled-looking Saddam with a long black beard receiving a medical check-up in custody was shown at the press conference.

Saddam Hussein was found following intelligence indicating he was at one of two possible locations south of Tikrit, Lieutenant General Ricardo Sanchez, commander of coalition ground forces in Iraq.

A large contingent of US forces conducted extensive searches of the area and found a small rural farmhouse. A "spider hole" was detected within the house with an entrance camouflaged with bricks and dirt. When uncovered, US troops found the former Iraqi president in a hole barely six to eight feet (1.8m to 2.5m) deep.

Colonel Sanchez said he offered no resistance. Two unidentified people said to be "close allies" of Saddam Hussein were also arrested and weapons and more than $750,000 cash were confiscated.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm not sure how this will affect the war in Iraq- if at all but I guess we'll see. Wonder if they're going to stick him in guantanamo bay with the other "military combatants"

 

[OTIS]

YAY! Cue all the idiot talking head punditssssss.... now!


I guess you can end the war now eh Georgie boy?

 

[Aeryanna]

I know they claim to have done DNA testing, but what if he's a fake? I wouldn't put it past this administration. Remember the Turkey....

 

[fishbulb]

Only a few things will change now

1. The Iraqis who lived in fear of him returning to power and exacting a cruel and deadly revenge can sleep somewhat better, maybe an extra 10 minutes or so....

2. The attacks against the US will now have the specific cause 'Free Saddam' instead of just random violence.

3. Leno and Letterman will have a few more jokes (about his beard) to add to their repetoire.

 

[Access]

I'm just really curious to see what they're going to do with him now, and how they're going to handle a war crimes trial if they end up having one.

 

[Ditto Much]

Well congrats to Britain and the US I guess. To be honest I wanted him out of power an to serve sentance. With the Netherlands involvement hopeuly the trial is in De Hague and not in the USA.

I think its good in war to have an enemy to point the finger at in the history books. It helps in the resolution process, and Saddam gone is as good as gold.

 

[Its Pooched]

I think they were going to try holding the trial in Iraq for all the public to see. How they manage this without a constitution and democratic government is beyond me but maybe it will set the precedent for subsequent legal rights in that country, the people of Iraq won't have any.

 

[Boss Hog]

1. Perfect timing for US to justify their invasion. When morale is low.

2. Last week they were saying "capturing Hussein won't change insurgency". Good timing for such a quote/capture.

3. Be prepared for a wave of self-righteous rhetoric from Fuckface Bush. My bucket is ready.

4. Let's assume it's really him and not a look alike.

5. When will Bush and Blair be flown to the Hague as well? Hussein is hardly the only bad guy on the planet despite what CNN, Fox News, and a couple of "look where they are now!" poster boys for Glenholm school for the mentally challenged who frequent this forum will tell you.

 

[Day Dream]

Originally posted by Boss Hog


3. Be prepared for a wave of self-righteous rhetoric from Fuckface Bush. My bucket is ready.

I haven't had a TV in 3 months, and I haven't heard his voice once. Isn't that great?

I love it.

 

[Littlest Hobo]

There are many happy Iraqis around. Good on them.

Now Saddam can show everyone where the WMD's are, I suppose.

I, for one, am very interested in the dirty laundry that will hopefully be aired.

 

[Subsonic Chronic]

How hard would it be for Bush to come up with just a couple of new lines so that his speaches wouldn't all sound exactly the same?

I checked to see what he had to say about Saddam's capture, but it was the exact same speach he's spewed out of his tiny texan mouth EVERY FREAKING WEEK since Sept 11th.

Well... I suppose the capture of Saddam is good news for everyone. I really hope that they try him before an international court, even though I wouldn't expect Bush to be so um... diplomatic about it (especially when there's an election coming up and this can be milked for votes!).

I half expect Dubya to drag the corpse of Hussein by a white stalion through the rubble at ground zero to cheering adulation from the redest of the rednecks, but what do I know? Maybe he'll prove me wrong and actually sit him down in the Hague, and set an example to the rest of the world - stranger things have happened.

And hey, the U.S. can now say that they're one for two in capturing evil super-villains, which is already double their record for rebuilding nations destroyed by U.S. bombs.

Next stop: Osama Bin Laden! We're on a roll!

 

[Boss Hog]

Hey did you guys hear they found WMD in Iraq?

Oh, no wait they didn't. They found some old dude hiding in a hole.

 

[silver1]

If Wesley Willis were still alive, he would have been able to cash in on his 'hit song', "Rock Saddam Hussein's Ass".

 

[Subsonic Chronic]

Celine Dion cashed in huge with her post Sept 11th rendition of America the Beautiful.

I have no doubt that Wesley Willis could have reached similar stardom if his hit was properly marketted and he were still alive.

 

[silver1]

Originally posted by Subsonic Chronic
Celine Dion cashed in huge with her post Sept 11th rendition of America the Beautiful.

I have no doubt that Wesley Willis could have reached similar stardom if his hit was properly marketted and he were still alive.

Just imagine how WWE's gonna milk this Pete.

 

[Littlest Hobo]

Originally posted by Boss Hog
Hey did you guys hear they found WMD in Iraq?

Oh, no wait they didn't. They found some old dude hiding in a hole.

Now, now. You seem almost sad that Saddam was caught.

I'd hardly call Saddam 'some old dude'. He was an evil bastard, and millions of Iraqi's are pleased as punch that he's caught. Good for them; how arrogant would it be to not be happy for these not-as-oppressed-as-they-used-to-be peoples?

The only thing that pisses me off is that this is good news for W (for now).

 

[Boss Hog]

newflash: there's other more sinister bastards in power right now than a senior citizen hiding in a dirt hole.

I'm not sad they caught Saddam at all. I'm frustrated with the overimportance that's placed on it, as if Bush's mission was finally redeemed or something.

 

[Littlest Hobo]

Originally posted by Boss Hog
newflash: there's other more sinister bastards in power right now than a senior citizen hiding in a dirt hole.

Yes there are. Mugabe, Jong-Il, Zedong, Castro, the Albanian guy and probably a bunch I've never heard of. Of course, the US could invade their countries and remove them, but that would piss off the anti-war crowd as well. I have been repeatedly told the US can't be the world's policemen.

Originally posted by Boss Hog
I'm not sad they caught Saddam at all. I'm frustrated with the overimportance that's placed on it, as if Bush's mission was finally redeemed or something.

Have you no empathy? There is probably one awesome street (sausage) party going on; I'd like to see that.

 

[Boss Hog]

It's not the US role to go in and remove these guys. As much as that fucking sucks that they're in power, the US is run by corporate interests and not goodwill. When will people wake up and smell the fucking coffee? Because of this, you will only get selective invasions to remove leaders that DO NOT BENEFIT the people of the invaded country in the long run. I don't care how many fake turkey's Bush serves up, he is not interested in helping anyone but his buddies. It's irresponsible for people to accept anything but that as truth.

 

[Aeryanna]

The capture of Saddam Hussein really doesn't change anything and it shouldn't suddenly validate this war. I'm a little amazed at all the importance thats being placed on it. Some people are saying that this will help guarantee Bush's re-election in 2004, that Howard Dean is completely out of the race, that this shows they're definitely winning the war on terrorism etc. None of this holds true. As far as anyone can prove Hussein didn't play a part in 9-11. He should definitely be tried and held for international war crimes (Although the same case can be made for Bush and a handful of other dictators around the world). Yet something that strikes me as odd is why didn't they capture and apprehend Saddam when he was committing these attrocious acts against the Kurds and when he invaded Kuwait? Why did they wait 10 years after the fact? Regardless of how slow people are It shouldn't take a decade to realize that invading another country is wrong. This suggestst to me that when he was committing the crimes they didn't care and now because it serves they're own interests they do. What it comes down to though is that when the US started their war on terror, the objective wasn't to capture Hussein. Its great that he can now be held accountable for his acts- better late than never I guess, but lets find the real people in charge like Osama Bin Laden and then maybe we can say we're making progress.

 

[Boss Hog]

Karimov of Uzbekistan.

That is all.

 

[KickIT]

Jessica Lynch Creditted with Saddam Capture

When Saddam saw it was Lynch, he gave up


LINWOOD BARCLAY

Details are still a bit sketchy, but American forces in Iraq say a lot of the credit for tracking down Iraq's elusive dictator has to go to Private Jessica Lynch.

"If she hadn't decided to interrupt her book tour to come over here and give us a hand," said L. Paul Bremer, the U.S. administrator of Iraq, "Saddam Hussein would probably still be out there somewhere and who knows when we would have found him."

According to Pentagon sources, the five-foot-three, 100-pound Lynch, who made a name for herself earlier this year when she fought to the death several hundred Iraqi doctors and nurses and performed open heart surgery on herself when she was injured, was among the 200 soldiers conducting manoeuvres near the former dictator's home town of Tikrit when she said she "had a feeling" that they might find something of importance at a farm in the town of Adwar.

"She is," as Bremer explained to throngs of reporters, "after all, a country girl, and has a kind of sixth sense for these things."

When soldiers found an opening that led to an underground bunker, it was Private Lynch who volunteered to go down first. When she dropped down into the hole, she found herself face to face with one of the two most wanted men on the planet.

As Saddam looked at her, a wave or resignation swept across his face.

"Ahh, Private Lynch," he said tiredly. "Somehow, I always knew it would be you." At that moment, all the fight seemed to go out of him.

Saddam Hussein was found with $750,000 (U.S.) on him, which it's believed he was using to bribe people to keep his location secret, to buy weapons, and to get the DVD box set of all the James Bond movies.

President Bush, speaking briefly to reporters, said of Lynch, "She's quite the little lady, ain't she?"

News of Lynch's latest coup spread quickly through her West Virginia neighbourhood.

"Looks like we're going to have to pull together another parade," said the mayor. "I have to tell you, quite honestly, that I'm as stunned as anyone, especially since I'm almost positive I saw her at the Wal-Mart buying fabric softener only yesterday."

Attempts by the media to interview Lynch personally were unsuccessful. She is said to be in hours of military debriefings and strategy meetings, and is also consulting with coalition forces about where they might find Osama bin Laden.

"If anyone can find that rascal," said a White House spokesperson, "it's her."

Lynch is also credited with persuading the former dictator to star in an armed forces health video that was being shot that day, about the importance of submitting to regular checks for head lice. "He also agreed to a part in the script where his throat is examined with a mini-flashlight, after we pointed out that it's flu season. He was just super about it."

Lynch is currently entertaining several offers from major American publishers to write a book about tracking down Saddam, and efforts are being made to find out what brand of razor was used to cut off Saddam's beard in the hours after his capture. It's believed that a lucrative endorsement deal would be enormously helpful to him in hiring a "dream team" to defend him at any possible Iraqi or international tribunal.

At the media briefing in Baghdad, Bremer was asked whether Private Lynch had noticed any weapons of mass destruction in the underground hideout where she'd discovered the deposed dictator.

"She reported to us that there were a few, just kind of lying around, but she disarmed them, so there's nothing much to worry about there. We're also searching Mr. Hussein himself, his personal effects, and we'll be looking in his pants pockets."

I have no idea why the Star is publishing this article, but its funny.

*c*

 

[man_slut]

^^^^^^ Where did you find that article?

 

[divell420]

Kickit, methinks you just answered your own question. S a t i r e
Linwood Barclay rocks

Some good can actually come of this... maybe people will start questioning Saddam's involvement in all the attacks since bushy said the war's over. With Saddam gone for good (regardless of who punishes him and how), all the attacks on coalition troops should stop. Right? Right?

 

[Littlest Hobo]

Originally posted by Boss Hog
It's not the US role to go in and remove these guys. As much as that fucking sucks that they're in power, the US is run by corporate interests and not goodwill.

I agree. But sometimes it's OK to realize the ends justify the means, and my observations tell me the Iraqi people are enjoying this particular happy ending. It's OK to be happy for them.

Originally posted by Boss Hog
Because of this, you will only get selective invasions to remove leaders that DO NOT BENEFIT the people of the invaded country in the long run.

I agree with some of that, except Iraqi's will likely be better off without him.

Originally posted by Boss Hog
I don't care how many fake turkey's Bush serves up, he is not interested in helping anyone but his buddies. It's irresponsible for people to accept anything but that as truth.

I agree as well. However, this particular side-effect of W's global neo-con global corporate conquest is quite endearing to many Iqai's.